Do you mean a a Core i3? There are no E3 processors. Neither one of those processors is for a laptop. They are both desktop processors - if they were for laptops, they would have an M behind the name.

I guess it depends on what your friend is wanting to use his laptop to do. There is probably very little difference in the two, but click on the right side for "details" on each processor and see what is says there.

I didn't read this entire thread, but they discuss these two processors at Tom's Hardware...

Thanks Drac, yes I meant I3 one of those in a hurry typos. They looked quite similar to me. I e-mailed Mike at Ecollege and he said they are pretty much the same thing one is newer than the other but there is very little difference.